Rugby fans have alleged that they have been left tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket by the company behind ailing Championship club North Wales Crusaders.
The i Paper has been contacted by more than 17 individuals claiming that Egg Chaser, the company which owns the semi-professional rugby league outfit, owes them money. Owned and operated by Arun Watkins and his father Bobby, Egg Chaser is a Surrey-based company that specialises in rugby union merchandise and rugby sevens coaching. The pair bought the Crusaders in December 2024.
The club won the third-tier League One title in 2025, but just three months later two Crusaders players took to social media to criticise the club over wages they were allegedly owed.
The i Paper understands North Wales players and staff have been paid their wages late for several months this year, and have not been paid in April as expected. Despite being unpaid and refusing to train last week, the Crusaders’ team fulfilled their Championship fixture against Keighley Cougars on Sunday, losing 66-10, after two private individuals donated money to pay the players. The club’s 1895 Cup match against Midlands Hurricanes this Saturday has been cancelled.
Dozens of parents and former employees come forward
Earlier last week North Wales’s owners announced that “they will no longer fund the additional costs to run the club with immediate effect” and they are “looking for a new majority shareholder”. The club’s long-term survival remains in serious doubt, with one source claiming that the Crusaders “will fold this week”.
Meanwhile, more than a dozen individuals have come forward alleging they are owed money by Egg Chaser for rugby kit, coaching, and deposits to participate in international sevens tournaments that failed to materialise.
The i Paper is aware of at least 55 individuals who are trying to reclaim money they say they are owed from Egg Chaser for rugby kit, coaching and refunds for tournament places, as well as former employees alleging they are owed wages. One coach, Troy Lee, took the company to an employment tribunal and successfully won damages for race discrimination, as well as unpaid holiday pay: the total award of more than £7,000 is yet to be paid.
The i Paper has seen correspondence with Egg Chaser, including texts and emails, where the company has responded with denials, and promises of reimbursement that have not materialised.
Food vendor Phillip Moore says he is owed £1,000 by Egg Chaser after he signed for four trading days across three company events, of which three were ultimately cancelled.
“Despite assurances from Bobby Watkins that a refund would be issued, I have yet to receive any payment,” Moore said.
“I originally signed up for these events in August 2024, and the first cancellation occurred in March 2025. This matter has now been ongoing for over a year. I have since pursued the issue through the small claims court, which resulted in a County Court Judgement being issued against the company. Unfortunately, this has also been ignored.
“As a next step, I am now exploring further legal options, including the possibility of a winding-up petition to place the company into liquidation.”
‘They’ve done this to so many people’
Another individual, who spoke to The i Paper on the condition of anonymity, claims he is owed £300 for rugby coaching and kit for his two sons, which he never received.
“I paid the first instalment for both boys on the understanding that there would be local training sessions, special kit, and more tournaments,” he said. “None of that happened.”
Kelly Thompson says she is owed £200 for a deposit paid for her daughter to take part in a sevens tournament in the United States, which Egg Chaser never actually entered.
“I have repeatedly asked for my £200 refund for a tournament in the USA that they did not even enter,” Thompson said.
Sarah Betts’ daughter was part of the Egg Chaser Sevens academy and says she is owed money for coaching and kit her daughter never received.
“Last year they created a high performance programme that would cost £200, including the kit and they would get a number of sessions – which never happened and no one received the kit,” Betts added.
“They’ve done this to so many people… So many games were called off and we had to pay for parking for which I never got that back. I know coaches who’ve left because they’re not getting paid! They are an absolute joke. They are disgusting to do this to innocent families.”
‘So many children’s dreams shattered’
Kelly Morris is another individual who says she is owed money after her daughter entered the Egg Chaser academy.
“We were led to believe we were part of a rugby academy that was going places. We had our daughter chosen to represent the UK at tournament in Florida this year,” Morris said.
“Initially it was a £200 deposit, followed by another £200 for what they were classing as a high performance pathway, which meant our children were going to this tournament. Unfortunately we paid £400 to them, and this is where it then changed.
“The sessions for the high performance pathway never transpired; they were cancelled just before each planned session. Then they were sending us special training wear, which again never transpired.
“I then approached them to ask what was going on, to be ignored and I have been ignored ever since September last year.
“There are so many affected parents, so many children’s dreams shattered.”
‘Overseas debts of more than £20,000’
Dale Winslow worked as Egg Chaser’s team operations manager and head of academy administration between November 2024 and May 2025. He claims the company owes him personally over £5,000 in wages, and also has other significant debts overseas.
“There is a court judgement against Egg Chaser for £7,000 and I have details of money they owe in New Zealand and France, over £20,000,” Winslow said.
“Also, Terry Sands from Shogun RFC, they are still owed prize money from an event they won. And the list goes on.”
The Egg Chaser Stash store website is no longer live. The company’s Instagram and Facebook accounts have not posted since July, with comments left by customers waiting for deliveries and for merchandise that has been paid for but not delivered.
According to LinkedIn, Arun Watkins bills himself as an international chief executive and athlete who set up Egg Chaser in 2020. The 24-year-old has represented Zambia internationally at rugby sevens.
On Companies House, Arun Watkins is listed as the sole director of Egg Chaser Stash Ltd. Both Arun and Bobby Watkins are the only two active directors of North Wales Crusaders.
The i Paper sought comment from Egg Chaser, Arun Watkins and North Wales, but received no response. Bobby Watkins declined to comment.
The Rugby Football League and the Rugby Football Union both declined to comment.
